Admon Gilder will shine for Gonzaga this college basketball season

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Admon Gilder
Credit: Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire Via Getty Images

It’s almost time. College basketball is returning in just 24 hours now! We have a ton of returning players that will stand out and the one I want to discuss today is Gonzaga grad transfer Admon Gilder.

Gilder had to sit out last year because of a scary blood clot in his right arm, but thankfully he seems to be fully healthy now. He transferred from Texas A&M to Gonzaga because he said it was, in his own words, “time for me to close the chapter and start fresh”.

Now, Gilder joins a Gonzaga roster that has lost Rui Hachimura, Josh Perkins, Brandon Clarke, and Zach Norvell Jr. among others from last year’s squad. Killian Tillie and Corey Kispert will be just about the only recognizable names from last year’s team for college basketball fans. At first glance, many might think this will be a down year for Gonzaga, but Admon Gilder will have something to say about that.

Instead of talking about how Gilder will fit in Mark Few’s system, let’s talk more about Admon Gilder’s game, because there’s a lot of it.

Gilder is smooth with the ball in his hands. He’s methodical about his moves and has sold bounce. I’ve always compared his style of play to CJ McCollum. CJ has always been better at creating for himself, but their offensive games are utterly similar if you watch Admon Gilder play.

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Gilder, like CJ, has a down-hill style to his game. He’s always attacking. He doesn’t have superior quickness but has a tight enough handle and a good frame to get by smaller guards. One word I believe basketball fans throw around too much is the word crafty. Admon Gilder, though, is indeed crafty.

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As showcased above and throughout his career to date, Gilder can get up well enough to score over taller defenders. And his strength is something he’ll utilize to make up for that height gap and to help him create space on drives.

Now, let’s talk about Gilder’s shooting. Since his freshman year at Texas A&M, Admon Gilder has improved his 3PT shooting each year. And it was even a noticeable leap in 3PT% each year too capping at 39.5% in the 2017-2018 season. Gilder has a solid base and is an above-average catch and shoot 3PT shooter.

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Only 10.6% of his three-pointers two years ago were unassisted. As he moves into an even less selfish Gonzaga offense, the number of unassisted threes should go down even more. Expect his 3PT% to climb above 40% this season.

As we sit here at Basketball Society before college basketball tips off and try to highlight players that just don’t get enough credit from the national media, Admon Gilder is a name that comes to mind as someone that just should get more recognition. It’s about time he does and I think he’ll prove that this year.

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